In today's culture of me, I hear everywhere that you need to position yourself as a leader. Well, as this may be very true and I promote this premise, there are varying viewpoints as to just what makes a up a leader. In this article I will illustrate the 5 leadership qualities that I notice in those I admire either in business or personal relationships.
5 leadership qualities
While I'm sure we can agree that there are many leadership qualities to take into account, I want to focus on these 5 as having the most impact on me. You see, in my business and probably much like everyone, making a decision to follow a particular leader can have huge ramifications. If I choose to take advice from someone who talks the talk but who does not walk the walk, the trickle down effect to my followers can devastating to their businesses and that is something that I cannot have, not only for those who follow me but also that overtime, I would have no followers and no business.
In my personal life, the same can be said. Should I put my faith into the wrong counselor or physician, the outcome to my physical and spiritual life will not only affect me but my friends and family as well.
I think you can surmise that when choosing people that play a significant role in your life must be well vetted. Those of us who are intent on living a life of purpose and are tasked with impacting the lives of others must really pay attention. If you are in the business of impacting lives, even that of raising a family, you could benefit from making these 5 leadership qualities a priority when choosing who you will follow.
5 Leadership Qualities To Look For
1) A Good Follower/Student - A good leader is also a good follower, they must be as able to to receive instruction from those who push them as well as they are to give instruction to those that are going in the same direction.
2) A Sincere resolve to serve others - For me this is a quality that stands above others as one that conjures up respect and admiration. The person who puts the service of others above their own agenda and gains fulfillment in the success of those he/she is responsible for has a true spirit of humanity not merely the love of money and accolades.
3) Empathetic versus sympathetic or apathetic - Empathy is described as understanding one's situation and offering a plan for change, whereas being sympathetic can lead to a more subjective approach that will encourage buying into the situation and not seeing the way out . In the case of apathy, there is is a removal from the situation all together.
4) Walks the Walk, do they show up and are they committed- There is no better way to inspire an individual or team to step up and accomplish tasks than when the leader puts themselves in the trenches, leading by example and encouraging others to emulate his/hers actions and with consistency.
5) Knowledgeable in their craft- Although it may seem apparent, a leaders main role is to teach and to guide. A good leader will offer various types of proof as to their qualifications, such as certifications in the field of endeavor or social proof from past students, followers or clients.
These are but a few of the leadership qualities you can find when considering who you will take advice from, study under, or allow to motivate you in the course of your pursuit. The main point is to be mindful of those you put your trust and in whose camp you decide to plant your flag.